‘It's the Continuous Hits’: Colt Brennan’s Family Learns CTE Played Role in His Death

Terry and Betsy Brennan gather around a laptop in the kitchen of their home in Irvine, Calif., alongside their daughter, Chanel Brennan Brewster, as they log in to a Zoom meeting. They’re about to find out whether their son and Chanel’s older brother, former Hawai‘i football superstar quarterback Colt Brennan, died with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease brought on by blows to the head.

Chanel, who is a few months pregnant with her second daughter, says she’s naming her after Colt—Marley James. Bob Marley was Colt’s favorite artist, and James was Colt’s middle name. A framed jersey hangs on the wall beside them, commemorating Hawai‘i’s retirement of Colt’s No. 15.

Terry, Betsy and Chanel hold a conference call with doctors from Boston University’s CTE Center on Thursday. 

Brandon Sneed